BETHANY — Bethany junior Denton Jaggers put on an “all-time performance” according to his coach and sophomore Cody Martin scored the game-winner in a 3-2 double-overtime win over Chickasha Monday (April 28) at Southern Nazarene University’s Wes Harmon Field.

The victory earned the Bronchos the District 4A-1 title.

Jaggers, with help from junior Eli Marquez, scored Bethany’s first goal.

“He’s a dog. I mean, he has unbelievable tenacity,” Bethany coach Sean Williams said of Jaggers via phone. “Usually not known for his finesse, but just a great move on a defender to cut back and then a great move on on the goalie and you really don’t see a center back finishing a goal like he finished.”

Chickasha (7-6, 5-2) answered with goals on free kicks to take a 2-1 lead.

“It was frustrating because at lot of our halftime talk was on making sure that we we shore up some of the things that they may have done well on any other set pieces,” Williams said.

The Bronchos had scoring opportunities but missed open shots. Another would-be tying goal was nullified due to an offsides penalty.

Williams said after the penalty, he and his team felt better about their chances to tie the game.

“It gave us some energy to see (the ball) hit the net,” Williams said.

Jaggers scored the tying goal late in the match.

“He just outran and out-muscled their center back and created enough space to get a shot off and put it in the low in the corner again,” Williams recalled. “Just calm and cool under pressure.”

Bethany had the wind in the first overtime and had an opportunity but freshman Joey Hernandez’s shot was wide.

In the second overtime, the Bronchos caught Chickasha in a counter attack position trying to score. Bethany stole the ball. Martin, an outside back, buried it in the corner for the golden goal to earn the win and the district title.

“I thought it was a great finish. It was well-fought, the way a title game should be decided – two good teams trading blows,” Williams said.

“Do I ever wanna go down 1-0 or 2-1? No, I don’t want that, but I do want to see the character that we have.

“I told told those guys, in overtime you’re gonna create one, you just need somebody to have some quality and be the hero and pick your spot and I thought Cody Martin hit it with a ton of confidence, picked a spot, picked his head up, picked the corner out and buried it.”

Williams had high praise for Jaggers’ performance in the win.

“The mentality he played with and the finishes that he had. It was an unbelievable all-time performance that I’ve seen in a district championship game or a final. (He) just would not be beat.”

UP NEXT

Bethany (10-4, 6-1) will host Harding Charter Monday (May 5) at 8 p.m. in the first round of the playoffs at SNU’s Wes Harmon Field.

Photographs courtesy of Kristie Escoe of Life in Action Photography.

	1	2	OT1	OT2	FINAL
Chickasha (7-6, 5-2)	1	1	0	0	2
Bethany (10-4, 6-1)	1	1	0	1	3